You fall apart on your bathroom floor
These four walls torment me day and night
You spend your mornings collecting the tears
Your evenings counting the scars
How silly it is,
That the weeds keep shooting up in the garden that is your heart .
You pluck them out
To replace them with flowers of joy
Then told you are not made for love ,
Can’t handle the game ,
Can’t let go .

You fall apart on your bathroom floor ,
Struggling to find you
You lost in the midst of the daydreams ,
You pick up the shattered pieces of your soul ,
Putting together your essence .

Poem: By Nomakhosi Ncube

The post HEALING~ By Nomakhosi Ncube appeared first on Sheevolves.world.

I know pain ,
I have felt her in my soul
Tasted her on my tongue
Her taste leaving behind
Bitterness and rage ,
Locked away in a cage ,
My story is written on one page
I have been broken

Shattered , I have been hopeless
With no dreams of tomorrow
Mine has been a tale of sorrow .

I know pain
Faithful she has been
To my body she would cling
Stripping me of joy
No voice would answer when I called
Pain has been my blanket in the cold ,
She came bearing empty promises
Of laughter and a good home
I have lost it all
A stranger to love I am
Happiness left just as fast as she came ,
I know pain
I may not know laughter but I do know pain
For I have stayed with her ,
Dined with her ,
Like a lover I am never without her ,
Her fingerprints are tattered on my skin ,
No soap can ever wash me clean
Of her marks
The sickening feel of her arrival ,
Forever in my mind
Her knock on the doors of my soul

Never gets old
Worn out
My lover pain
Has left me withered .

By Nonsikelelo Moyo

The post I Know the Pain~ By Nonsikelelo Moyo appeared first on Sheevolves.world.

We live in the age of highlights
Smiles are uploaded , struggles are archived
Strength is filtered , pain is cropped

But mental health does not live in captions
It lives in the quiet spaces , between
Expectations and exhaustion , faith and fear
Success and silence

I learned this the hard way
There was a time I thought strength meant endurance without confession
That resilience meant silence . That being okay was a responsibility not a reality
I could motivate others , show up for people , lead , build , create ,
Yet still go home internally empty . functioning but not fine

Mental health struggles rarely arrive with announcements

They arrive disguised as fatigue , irritability , loss of joy ,
Spiritual dryness , disconnection
A constant mental noise you cannot switch off

In many of our communities we are taught to pray but not always to process ,
To believe but not always to speak
To endure but not always to feel ,

Yet healing begins where honesty enters ,
Let us speak
Let us listen
Let us heal , out loud.

By MAKHOSINI S MPOFU

The post The Quiet Battles We Don’t Post About~ By MAKHOSINI S MPOFU appeared first on Sheevolves.world.

Mental health refers to one’s emotional, psychological and social well- being. It affects how one thinks, feels and behaves and it also determines how one can handle stress, relate to others and make decisions and choices. Thus, good mental health enables you to deal with life’s challenges, realise your potential and abilities, learn and work well, contribute to your community as well as form and maintain healthy relationships. Mental health is an important part of one’s well-being, yet it is one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized aspects of health. It is therefore vital to explore what mental health issues are, why they matter and how societies can better address them.

According to WHO more than one billion people globally live with a mental health condition, making it one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. In Zimbabwe it is a common thing to find mentally challenged people roaming the streets. It is worrisome to note that many more people succumb to stress and depression due to social and economic reasons. Experts describe mental health as a public health emergency, with rising rates of depression, anxiety and stress- related disorders found across all age groups.

Common mental health issues comprise depression, that is persistent sadness, loss of interest, fatigue and lack of sleep that affect one’s daily life. Anxiety disorders emanating from excessive worry, panic attacks and other physical symptoms like rapid mood changes and violence depict mental health challenges. Some people struggle with mental health as a result of drug abuse and substance use. I have witnessed disheartening incidences of people struggling with mental health issues. At my workplace some student teachers have to postpone their studies in order to seek medication as a result of substance use. Even when they return to resume their studies, you can still see that they would be vulnerable and struggling. At one point we had a female student who was raped while on work integrated learning. Although the culprit was arrested and the girl received counseling and medical treatment, the traumatizing incident left an undetectable mark on her well-being.

There is also the sad case of a colleague’s son who committed suicide after completing his Advanced Level. Unknown to his parents, he had been struggling with drug and substance abuse. The heart wrecking incident of a fellow congregant who returned home from church to find his son who had been struggling with drug addiction), having set fire to the entire homestead, struck and murdered his pregnant wife with a matchet and then burnt the body. The mother had to flee for dear life together with her three grandchildren (children of the man who had killed his wife). Mental health issues are not merely an individual problem, they also affect families and the society at large.

They say prevention is better than cure. Healthy lifestyle approaches are necessary. It is therefore imperative to exercise self-care strategies such as mindfulness and meditation. This helps to reduce stress and increase self-awareness. Exercising boosts mood and it is essential for one to have adequate sleeping time. One also needs to have healthy eating habits and avoid loneliness by building and maintaining healthy relationships and community ties.

Early intervention is important. There is need to be one’s brother’s keeper. Recognizing symptoms of health challenges and seeking professional help early is important. Expanding affordable therapy, counseling and community-based support is very important. It is also important to reduce stigma through open conversations in order to normalize mental health struggles. I remember one of our students who had just returned from receiving therapy for drug addiction, coming to my office with a notebook saying, “Mam, I want to learn to write books like you do. Here is what I got from the library.” He read to me what appeared to be lacking coherence but I praised him so as to boost his confidence and then gave him the advice he needed. He left a contended young man and I felt that I had assisted him well without showing any stigmatization.

Mental health issues are therefore not just personal struggles, they are societal challenges that require collective action. By providing the awareness, accessibility and compassion, communities can foster resilience and ensure that mental health is treated with the same urgency and respect as physical health. Mental health is a prerequisite for everyone.

By Perpetua Gonese

Social Handles

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Poem By : Nonny Vee

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Mirror, Mirror. Who’s the prettiest of them all?
Not me. Certainly.

Look at all the beauties out there.
Surely, have you seen my crooked smile?
What about my pimples?
And what about my big ears?
Oh, how glad I am that you can only see my face.
For I hear my legs are manly, far from beautiful
Compared to how a woman’s should look.

Mirror, Mirror. Who’s the most creative of them all?
It surely can’t be me.

Do I sing better than those Divas?
I’m not sure I can even tie their shoes.
Could I possibly write better
than the outstanding poets out there?
My pen must not be sharp enough.

Mirror, Mirror. Godly Mirror, tell me:
Who am I? Tell me what You see?

Gladly, Mirror answers:
I am glad you finally asked.
You finally chose the right mirror.
It is not the flaws that I see;
I see beauty in the flaws
because I allowed them,
That I may fill them with my Light.

Poem By: Rasanganea Uwantege

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My name doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened, because it happens to many of us. I grew up in a small village, thinking I’d marry young, have kids, and farm the land like my mother and her mother before her. It was the only life I knew then.

Then came the drought. The crops withered. The animals died. My family struggled. My father, desperate, decided I should marry a man from the city. He was older, had a good job, and could provide. I didn’t want to, but I knew it was for the good of my family. It felt like a heavy stone in my stomach.

City life was overwhelming. So many people, so much noise, so much I didn’t understand. My husband was kind enough, but we just didn’t connect. He worked long hours, and I stayed home, cleaning and cooking. I felt lost and useless. I missed my family, the familiar smells of the farm, the comforting rhythm of village life.

One day, I stumbled upon a small tailoring shop near the market. The owner, a woman named Fatima, was teaching young girls how to sew. I watched them, fascinated. I remembered my grandmother teaching me to mend clothes back in the village. An idea sparked in my mind.

I asked Fatima if I could learn. She smiled and said, ‘Of course, my dear. There’s always room for one more.’ It wasn’t easy. My fingers were clumsy at first. I made mistakes. But Fatima was patient, and the girls were encouraging. Slowly, I started to learn. I learned to cut fabric, to sew straight lines, to create beautiful patterns.

Sewing gave me something to focus on, something to be proud of. I started making clothes for my neighbors, then for people in the market. My small earnings helped my family back in the village. I felt useful again, like I was contributing. It wasn’t the life I imagined, but it was my life, and I was building it with my own hands.

My husband saw how happy I was. He started bringing me fabric scraps from his work. He even helped me set up a small sewing corner in our house. We started talking more, sharing our days. He began to appreciate my effort and skill.

It wasn’t a fairy tale ending, but it was real. I wasn’t the farmer I thought I’d be, but I was a tailor, a provider, a woman who found her own path when life took an unexpected turn. And that, I realized, was enough. Sometimes, it’s about finding the strength to embrace the changes that  life throws at you and creating something new from the pieces.

Life rarely goes as planned. It’s okay to find your own way, even if it’s different from what you expected. Don’t be afraid to try new things and discover hidden talents. Support other women, we are stronger together. And never underestimate the power and authority that God instilled in you.

The post From the Village to the City – An Arranged Marriage. appeared first on Sheevolves.world.

Have you ever felt alone in a crowd — with your family, friends, or even your partner?

If so, you’re not alone. That was me too. I often felt lonely, and no matter what I did, nothing seemed to cure my unique case of loneliness. I tried surrounding myself with friends, thinking their presence would fill the emptiness inside, but it never did. It felt as though no one truly understood me — and that hurt.

In my desperation, I began pushing away good friends, believing they weren’t meant for me since they couldn’t fill the void within. I even ruined some of their romantic relationships because I wanted all their time and attention focused on me. Being a girl who rarely socialized with other women, my guy friends suffered the most, and slowly, their girlfriends left one by one. Looking back, I feel guilty for how selfish I was.

So I decided to leave my friends alone and pursue a romantic relationship instead. Honestly, that wasn’t a good idea. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t ready. Relationships seemed tiring to me — I get bored of people easily, and truthfully, I wasn’t ready to carry anyone else’s baggage when mine was already heavy enough.

Still, one day, I chose a boyfriend from among the guys who were always trying to woo me. Being the beautiful and smart woman I am, I always had admirers —but none of them truly interested me. That day, I played a silly game: I flipped a coin to decide. And just like that, I then chose him. He was surprised that I, the headstrong girl he admired, agreed to date him so quickly — but he didn’t know the reason behind it.

The relationship lasted only a few months. He treated me with kindness and love, and to be honest, I can’t blame him for anything. He tried his best to love me in his own way. Yet somehow, it was never enough. The emptiness remained. The harder I tried to fill it, the emptier I felt.

I became a terrible girlfriend — and to this day, I feel embarrassed when I remember how I treated Cedrick, my boyfriend at the time. He deserved the best, but all I gave him was confusion and pain. Still, he loved me. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t working. So I decided to set him free because I was becoming toxic to a genuinely good man.

After that, I started reading books, listening to podcasts, and searching for ways to find happiness — to stop feeling so alone. That loneliness had stolen my freedom, my joy, and my peace. One day, I came across a book that said: “You are the love you seek. Everything you search for in others already exists within you.”

Those words hit me deeply. Out of desperation, I decided to try what it said — to simply sit with myself. Since then, I have tried to occupy my mind with something: endless scrolling on social media, talking to people I shouldn’t even have associated with, pleasing others just to be loved. I had been running from myself because I was afraid of what I might find. But since nothing else worked, I decided to face myself.

The first time I sat in silence, it was unbearable. Within seconds, I reached for my phone — I failed. The second time, I lasted two seconds longer. Slowly, day by day, I tried again. Some days I failed, other days I succeeded. But through those moments of sitting in silence, I began to hear my own voice — the one within.

That inner voice told me something beautiful: “You are enough. You are beautiful.” And I laughed, wondering why no one had ever told me that before.

In those quiet moments, I discovered my worth. I realized how intelligent I was, how capable, how talented. I learned that I could crochet, braid hair, and even just sit still without running from myself. I discovered hobbies that brought me joy. I began taking peaceful morning walks, feeling the fresh air brush against my lips — and in those moments, I felt alive.

Through solitude, I found happiness. I began to crave those moments alone — with no music, no podcasts, no noise, just me and my thoughts. The amount of creativity and peace that flowed through me was unimaginable. I came up with business ideas, reflected on my life, and saw how much I had grown.

Silence became my friend — my safe place, my peace, my home. And if you ever struggle to find yourself or feel lonely, I encourage you to try silence too. You’ll realize that sometimes, all you truly need is you — sitting quietly in your own little corner, doing what makes your soul feel
alive.

Story by: Merci Mpundu

The post In Solitude, I Found Myself~ By Merci Mpundu appeared first on Sheevolves.world.

Emotional being,

We are with our emotions
Emotions pokes the tip of my nail
Searching for peace, to find nothing relatable,
living within me, and then to find nothing at all.
The sun pumps my smile – a new plum of smoke
straight into the my awareness,
A loud guilt that pierced through and out.

My face spoke volume, my heart dancing,
eyes sweating out the mental lies, all in the name of fear.
The hardcore realization.
This feeling is loud, lines cemented a hard pillar,
Upon this cliff, ill push on.

Love supersedes every emotion,
Peace contains every mess.
A  dream of hope to find check with my emotions,
In the altar of honesty,
A reality of freedom.

My Emotional being

By: Nonny

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